Civil Engineers

Washington Township MS4 Presentation

On Wednesday, April 11, 2018, Jeffrey L. Ott, PE, MBA, President of Ott Consulting Inc., the Township Engineer for Washington Township, presented information regarding the Township’s stormwater management system, a part of a MS4 Public Outreach Program. Stormwater regulations associated with the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) are administered under the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program.

The MS4 program focuses on managing discharges into the waters of the region through education and implementation of proper control measures and best management practices (BMPs). Mr. Ott discussed the goals and requirements of the MS4 program.

The primary focus of his presentation was to discuss the six minimum control measures required. These requirements include public education and outreach on stormwater impacts (BMPs), public involvement/participation, illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction site runoff control, post-construction stormwater management, and pollution prevention/good housekeeping.

Secondly, Mr. Ott reviewed the Ordinance requirements that every MS4 permittee must enact which: is consistent with DEP’s 2013 model ordinance or DEP’s 2022 model ordinance, or is from an Act 167 plan that was approved by DEP in 2005 of later, or meets the requirements in DEP’s Stormwater Management Ordinance checklist. Lastly, Mr. Ott discussed the Pollutant Reduction Plan (PRP) requirements, which must be addressed. The PRPs require existing pollutant load calculations. A specific load reduction must be accomplished within a 2018-2023 permit term.

The preparation of a PRP also involves the mapping of drainage areas, reducing loads by existing BMPs, identifying required load reductions and locating planned BMPs.